Do you love Jane Austen, Bridgerton, or Sanditon? Dream of twirling around the dance floor and sipping punch? I cordially invite you to the Regency Harvest Ball.
Everyone is welcome at this ball. Singles, couples, teens will enjoy dancing the night away to Live music provided by Entwyned. All dances will be taught and called by Alice Smith-Goeke, beginners are welcome. Younger children may not be ready to join the dance sets yet, but are always welcome to dance alongside in their own set.
Got two left feet? Consider spending the evening in our game room, and try your hand at a Regency parlor game like Whist or Charades.
Regency attire is admired, but not required. Any era of fancy dress is highly encouraged. Doors Open: 5:30. Beginner Lesson: 6pm. Ball: 6:30 All dances taught and called. A dressing room for ladies is available. Light refreshments provided.
Cost: $20/person or $50 family cap
Pre-registration requested, but some tickets will be available at the door.
Registration link – https://wtp.recdesk.com/Community/Program/Detail?programId=1669
Facebook event link – https://www.facebook.com/events/2788863241408635
Date: September 10th, 2022
Location: Washington Twp Park
Pavilion Center
435 Whipple Ln,
Avon, IN 46123
Google Map Link: https://goo.gl/maps/saWSvMGj98Mcy8sm6
Directions
- Site located on the far west side of Indianapolis in Avon
- Take your best way to Rockville Rd / US-36 – west of US-267
- Turn south on S County Road 575 E.
- Turn Left on Broyles Rd (the playground will be on your left)
- Broyles turns into Whipple Ln as you head down hill.
- Go slow and follow the winding road to the end, where the Pavilion Center is.
What should I wear?
Regency attire is admired, but not required. Any era of fancy dress is highly encouraged. Seriously we mean it! If you want this event to be the excuse to go all out on your regency fantasy outfit, go for it! If you have some fancy 1920’s outfit you are dying to wear, I’m excited to see it. If you just want to grab your favorite outfit from the closet, more power to you. Dress in a way that makes you feel good. Remember you will be dancing, if you want, so make sure you can walk and move your arms in whatever you pick.
Want to wear modern clothes, with Regency flair? Here are some options you might already have. A long dress (floor or ankle length ideally) with an empire waist. You can also tie a ribbon under bust to give the illusion of an empire waisted dress. Also consider, a white or pale color dress shirt, long dark dress pants and a vest of any color or pattern. Pop your collar and add a white or colorful neck cloth to add some flair. You are ready to go!
Adding accessories can also be fun. Shawls were super popular, as were reticules and fancy hats, some even had feathers. Vests were often colorful and elaborately decorated. Be the peacock, show off!
Can I really come alone?
Absolutely! No need to bring a dancing partner with you. In the regency era, dancing with the people you came to the ball with was rare and if you were caught dancing with the same person more than once a night, you might be the talk of the town. We don’t have such strict rules here, but dancing with many different people during the night is the norm. If you want to dance, I’m sure you will have someone to dance with.
Can I dance with a same gendered partner?
Of course! You can dance with whomever you wish. Be aware that in historic dances we often refer to the “Lord and Ladies” or “Ladies and Gentlemen” roles in the dance. For example “Lord 1 and Lady 2 bow and switch.” I realize this many be very frustrating. The dance community is still working though coming up with non-gendered ways to call dances. In the dance world today, “Gender is where you are standing, not who you are.” If you have any concerns please reach out to the caller. Alice Smith-Goeke alice.the.seamstress@gmail.com.
What’s on the menu?
Light refreshments are included in your ticket price, but they are not intended to replace a meal. Please eat dinner beforehand. The exact refreshments are yet to determined, but are likely to pull from the Harvest theme. Some foods might include local cider, apples, baked goods, and sweets.
I don’t know how to dance!
No experience necessary. We mean it! You don’t need to know anything about regency dance to enjoy dancing the night away. If you can walk, you can dance. Some dances are more spritely than others, but the live band is able to slow music down so it matches the speed of the dancers. Beginner lessons will take place at 6:00 for those who would like a step primer. All dances will be taught and called, so you don’t need to remember what comes next.
English Country Dancing was the precursor of contra and square dancing and was popular in England and America in the 1600’s, 1700’s and early 1800’s. If you’ve seen any of the recent Jane Austen movies (Pride and Prejudice, Emma) you’ve seen this form of dance. Civil War re-enactment dances also are English Country Dances. Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) events sometimes include English Country Dancing. It’s similar enough to contra dance to be familiar, but different enough to be interesting.
Dance Caller/Leader
Alice Smith-Goeke will be the dance caller at the Regency Harvest Ball. She has been leading monthly English Country Dance nights at Garfield Park Arts Center in Indianapolis for the last 10 years. She began teaching dance with the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) and has continued to branch out into different typed of social and folk dance. She loves working with beginners and has a way of making dances easy to learn. Alice also calls dance at weddings and festivals, contact her to book your event. Alice Smith-Goeke – alice.the.seamstress (at) gmail.com
The Band
Alice and Entwyned have been working together for many years. They play folk tunes – compelling Celtic-influenced melodies, friendly old-time tunes, haunting Scandinavian songs – accented with influences from world music, swing, and popular tunes, all driven by a lively rhythmic flow. They specialize in playing for contradances, English country dance, and other community dances, and are known for our tune arrangements that match the music to the figures of the dance, molding the dance energy and raising the dancers’ spirits.
Entwyned is John Paolillo on mandolin-family instruments (including mandola, bouzouki, and mandocello) and Twy Bethard on fiddle, nyckelharpa, and keyboard. Audiences find our musical menagerie intriguing. They are based in central Indiana and tour nationally. https://sites.google.com/site/entwyned/ entwyned (at) gmail.com